Govt targets SMEs in new blitz
RYAN CHIGOCHE
Government has targeted small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in a compliance blitz, the Harare Metropolitan Province Affairs secretary, Tafadzwa Muguti, has revealed.
Muguti, who spoke at the recent Zimbabwe SMEs workshop held in the capital, said the SMEs need to be the drivers of compliance in Harare Metropolitan services.
“We have started a blitz now and to date we have gone past 2000 businesses and of that number the compliance rate is less than 25%. We have people who are operating with no certificate of registration. Our laws are very progressive since 1980 one cannot fail to register,” Muguti said.
He added: “So being an SME is not a right for you to beg for mercy; it means you have taken the arms of developing the economy of Zimbabwe within the sector of SMEs. So you then need to act professionally and do your civic duty of paying taxes to the government that you expect to help you today.
“I think that is very practical and true. There is no democracy when it comes to all doing our civil duty of paying our taxes so register your company. We want to work with people that are identifiable.”
According to the 2019 ZIMSTATS Labour Survey, about 84.5% of employed people in the country are employed in the SMEs sector.
Muguti also warned SMEs against occupying spaces without authority and must respect town planning.
“Urban planning is critical. We can’t just wake up in the morning as SMEs and say I saw an open space therefore as an SME, give me that space,” Muguti said.
He then called on the SMEs to speak with one voice that is one organisation that represents them and not have multiple voices when approaching the government for assistance.
